A unique truck designed to fit the specifications of one of the UK’s largest food distributors has been handed over.

Guest Truck and Van has worked with chassis manufacturer IVECO and other suppliers over 12 months to create the bespoke prototype vehicle for Brakes Foodservice, with the aim to make deliveries easier and more efficient for drivers who are frequently working on multi-drop schedules in busy city centres.

The handover took place at the Brakes branch in Warrington, with staff and drivers eager to learn more about how its unique features, including a 3,240 kg payload, were implemented and how they will get the best out of the vehicle.

The base vehicle supplied by Guests is an IVECO Daily 72C18 chassis cab with rear air suspension and an automatic gearbox.

However, the main key features of this new vehicle include a walk-through body and a nearside sliding door, making deliveries much easier than at present, which will provide Brakes with a productivity and time saving boost.

Paul Vernon, Fleet Engineering Manager, at Brakes, said: “At Brakes, we have a customer first approach, so we want to make deliveries as efficient and easy for the customer as possible. Introducing this vehicle makes it not only easier for us to do that, but also makes the driver’s life easier, by offering greater access.

“The load space has a movable partition and two chiller units, allowing the vehicle to hold chilled and frozen in an ‘either way’ third and two-thirds combination.

“We’re starting off with chilled at the front and frozen at the back and have installed an air curtain between the load space and the cab to keep the different temperature zones separate during operation.

“We are very proud of drivers and the job they do and this will give more people the opportunity to join us, as this vehicle can be driven on a car licence, provided you passed your test before 1997.

“Guests Truck and Van have been engaged with the project right from day one and followed this through at each stage.

“We are all really proud seeing the finished product and how well this has come together.”

The vehicle is also exempt from the upcoming implementation of the London Direct Vision Standard, which measures how much an HGV driver can see directly through their cab windows.

Nick Pemberton, Business Development Director at Guests Truck and Van, said: “We have put in a lot of work, alongside Iveco, over the last year on getting this vehicle to meet the required standards.

“We think that this vehicle, with its excellent fuel economy, big payload and enhanced driver convenience will open up so many opportunities for Brakes.”